Table.



M. B. TURNER.

TABLE.

APPLIATION FILED APR. ll. 1914. 1,1 18,851 Patented Nov.24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 1.

u) m Lo (o N N L ou B- CU N J Q9 I lf3 /i (D Q a.; NLBJDBNEP.

wwwa/.wao

f' 0. J. M M

anotan M. B. TURNER.

TABLE.

APPLIoAfrxoN FILED APR. 11. 1914.

1,1 118.851 Patented Nov. 24, 1911 a@ N if MONROE B. TURNER, OF FALCO, ALABAMA.

TABLE.

Application led April 11, 1914.

To all lwhom t may conce/rn Be it known that I, MONROE B. TURNER,

i a citizen of the United States, residing at Falco, in the county of Covington and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tables, oi' which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to tables and has for its primary object to provide an improved dining table provided with certain structural characteristics whereby the dishes containing the viands may be positioned within easy reach of thediner.

In its more specific aspect the invention provides a table top embodyinga spring actuated rotary central member and a sta-l tionary outer circumscribing ring or leaf, and means releasable by any one of a num-` ber of persons seated at the table which normally locks the central portion of the table top against rotation under the action of its spring.

The invention has :tor a still further object to provide a central rotary top section for the table having a rod connected thereto extending through the hollow pedestal of the table, a ratchet disk mounted in the table base and yieldingly held in locked engagement with a disk on said rod, and additional means in the base of the table and operable by the foot of the diner te release the last named ratchet disk from engagement with said first named disk whereby the table top may be rotated.

The invention has for another object to provide adjustable means for regulating the speed of rotation of the table top under the actionoi' its spring.

The invention has for another object to generally improve and simplify the construction of tables of the above character whereby their convenience and serviceability is greatly increased without materially adding to the cost `ci manufacture thereof.

`With the above and other objects in view e as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrange ments o1 the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24,1914.

serial No. 831,226.

drlscrilption and accompanying drawings, in w 1c -f r Figure 1 is a side elevation, the housing being shown in section, of a table constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment oi my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4- is a top plan view partly in section. Figp is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.` Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1l.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates a wood base of the table to the upper and lower surfaces or' which the an-` nular plates G of zinc or other metal are secured. A disk 7 is centrally secured upon the wood base 5 and is provided with a central rectangular opening 8 to receive the similarly shaped shank 10 of a ratchet disk 9. This shank is fixed upon the central portion of a spider 11, the radial arms l2 of which are seated in grooves 13 provided in the upper face of the wood base 5. To each of these arms the lower end oi' a pin 14 is fixed, said pins projecting upwardly and being loosely movable .in openings 15 formed in the disk 7. The wood base 5 is also formed with a central circular opening 16 into which the inner ends of the grooves 13 open. In this opening 16 a coil spring 17 is arranged, said spring bearing at one of its ends upon the bottom plate (i on the under side o1 the base 5 and engag ing at its other end with the spider l2. It will thus beapparent that this spring acting against the spider' normally forces the ratchet disk 11 upwardly.

The pedestal 1S oi the tablemay be of any desired form in cross section, and said pedestal is provided with a central longitudinal bore indicated at 19. This pedestal is supported by means of a plurality of legs 20 which have their lower ends suitably xed upon the table base. Radially extending bars 21 connect said legs intermediate of their ends to the table pedestal and brace the same. Upon these radial bars the annulus 22 is secured, the particular purpose ofwhich will be later explained.

The table top includes a body portion 23 which is centrally provided with a circular recess 24 in its upper face, with which the rectangular opening 25 extending through said body conynnunicates. ln the recess 24e the cup member 2G is arranged, said member being provided with a flange 27 extending beneath a retaining iange 42 8 formedupon the body 23 of the table top. rit its outer edge, the lower face of this cup member is provided with an annular series of rack teeth 29 for engageinent'byaa Apinion 30 lwhich is fixed upon the inner end of a rod or shaft 31 suitably mounted inthe table top. n the cup member 26 a spiral spring 32 is arranged, one end of said spring being 'fixed to the annular wall of the cup member." 1n the upper surface of the body Q3 of the table top an annular race way Blis formed to receive the-bearing balls indicated at 8i and an annular' marginalI rim 35 is also secured upon the upper surface of said body.

36- designates the rotary section of the table top which is also provided inits bottom face with an annular race way 37Vto; receive'the bearing balls To this`rotary section of the table top the upperend of the rod 38 is iied; said rod being provided with a cylindrical enlargement 39 which is adapted to Abe received within the cup member Q6 and to which the other end of the spring 33 is secured. The upperend of the table pedestal .18 is provided with a rectangular portion l() to be received within the square opening 25 ingthe stationary body of the tabletop, and above this rectangularportionthc pedestal is also provided with a cylindrical portion ll for engagement-in an opening iiormedin the base of thei rotary cup member 26. The bore of the hollow pedestal is provided with metallic bearing sleeves with which similar sleeves ,42 on the rod 38 engage. AThe rod 38 extends through the ratchet disks 9 and 11, the disk Vl1. being secured 'in any `suitable manner upon said rod. The lower end of the rod is conicallytformed in a step bearing' plate secured tothe metallic bottom plate 6 on the table base.

The table legs 20 are connected by means of a sheet metal plate, preferably of Zinc indicated at e4. This plate is provided between the table legs l'with openings 455-to accommodate kthe foot leversri which-fare pivotally mounted uponthe base of the' table at `one of their ends and connected at their other endsto the upwardly extending pins 15. .Itwill be apparent'that as these pins are connected to thearmspi thespider l1 by simply engaging oneofthe levers with the foot andgpressing inwardly upon the same', the spider will be orcedif'downwardly against-the action of Athe spring=-l7 thereby disengaging they ratchet disk lOjfrom the disk 11 on the lower vend of thev rod 38. The spiral spring). by its expansive action will then'rotate, the circular portion 3.60f the table top as will be readily understood.

innesti lVhen the desired dish is positioned opposite tothe diner the pressure of the foot upon.the lever 46 is released so that the ratchet l() again engages the disk ll and locksthev circular topgsection against further turning movement. sin order to regulate the speed of rotation of.tlie rotatable top sectiony of the table under the action of the spring 32, Ii provide the adjustable rods 47 which are mounted in the annulus "22;" These rods extend through openings in the lower end of thel hollow p edestallY and are .provided with rollers i8 for bearing 'engagmentupon "the rd 438. Nuts: 49 are'threaded uponthe outer endsof these rods. for engagement with opposite sides oi' theannulus to secure said rods intheir adjusted positions and thereby' regulate the pressure oifthe roller-son the inner endsof said 'arms against the rotatable rod 3S., ln this manner it will be appreciated s that the speed of rotation of the table top section may be regulated as desired. I have also provided' means for lpositively locking the circulartable top; section against` rotationf To this end, a. rod 50g-is loosely inountedin the marginal top section35 of the top of thetable` and isprovided upon its inner end'x with the head 51,. A' spring 52 is arranged upon. said rod and bears at one of its ends againstthe hea-d to force the same y,

inwardly into `rictional binding engagement with .the periplie'ry of the rotatable table top section. Upion; the outer end of tliisrod a wing nut' 53 is arranged whereby the .rod

maybe moved outwardly by theadjustnient of said nut upon the rod to release the top section for' rotary movement.

i. The outer edge or periphery lof the stationary sectionof the tabletop is preferably covered with sheet Zinc indicated atl, while ik the central vrotary `section of the table l'top is covered 'with asheet of aluminum. A n

suitable lampseat orsupport indicated at liscentrally secured upon this aluminum sheet. llVhen the table is not in use, a suit-` able guard frame shown at 57 isfarranged over thel rotary central top section and rests upontheouter stationary marginal section of the tablei y *AL suitable crank 58` is provided *with the c.

table for operatingthe pinion 3,0 t0 rotate the springA containing cup member 26ste wind the operatingspring.

V'Fr'om the -abovevdescription taken in connec'tion withtheaccompanying drawings, it v is believedthat the constructiom` manner of 'operationfandseveral .advantages of my im# provedutablefwill be readily and Jtally understood. The central rotary section of the table top for rotation nnder the action of its operating spring by simply pressing upon` any( one, of the several oot levers, thus enabling a diner to easily reach any one of the several dishes be easily and quickly released .i

contained upon said movable table section. It will of course be understood that the outer stationary section of the table may be of any desired width, and the rotatable section of various diameters.

The device as a whole is extremely simple in its construction, and may be shipped in a knocked down condition and the parts thereof readily assembled for proper operation by the consignee without necessitating the employment of skilled labor. I/Vhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements employed it is to be borne in mind that the invention is not limited to such specific structural details but may be variously modified within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a table base, a hollow pedestal mounted thereon, a rotatable top mounted upon the upper end of said pedestal, a rod fixed in said tabletop and rotatable in the hollow pedestal, a ratchet disk fixed upon the lower end of said rod, a spring pressed ratchet disk centrally mounted for vertical movement in the base and normally engaged with the disk on said rod to lock the table top against rotation, means for positively rotating said table top upon the release of the locking means, and manuallyoperable means mounted wholly within the table base and coperating with said second named ratchet disk whereby the same may be moved out of locking engagement with the ratchet disk on said rod to release the table top for rotary movement.

2. `The combination of a table base, a hollow pedestal mounted thereon, a rotatable top mounted upon the upperend of said pedestal, a rod fixed to said table top and rotatable in the hollow pedestal, a ratchet disk fixed upon the llower end of said rod,

a spring pressed ratchet disk centrally` table base and fixed to the same at one of its i ends, the other end of said member being connected to the latter ratchet disk, and` manually operable means mounted upon the table base and connected to said spring member to actuate the same and move the ratchet disk out of engagement with the disk on said rod to release the table top for rotary movement. 1

3. The combination of a table base, a hollow pedestal mounted thereon, a rotatable table top mounted upon the upper end of said pedestal, a rod fixed to sald table top and rotatable in the hollow pedestal, a ratchet disk fixed upon the lower end of said rod, a spring pressed ratchet disk mounted in the base and normally engaged with the disk on said rod to lock the table top against rotai tion, means for positively rotating said table top upon the release of the locking means, a spider arranged in the table base and secured to the ratchet disk therein, a pin fixed to each arm of the spider and projecting upwardly through the table base, and a plurality of foot levers mounted upon the table base and engaging the respective pins \vhereby, upon the operation of any one of said .levers, the ratchet disk in the base is moved out of locking engagement with the disk on said rod to release the table top for rotary movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

M. B. TURNER.

Witnesses:

J. N. CHESTNUT, J. D. STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents` each, by :addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Wasnington, D. G. 

